Trump Shares Second Controversial AI 'Jesus' Image on Social Media
United States President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy by posting another AI-generated image depicting himself with Jesus on his Truth Social account. The post, shared on April 15, 2026, shows Trump being hugged by Jesus, accompanied by a caption that reads, "God might be playing his Trump card." Trump added his own remark, stating that "radical left lunatics" may not like the image, but he thinks it is "quite nice."
Provocative Move Amid Feud with Pope Leo XIV
This latest post is seen as another provocative action in Trump's ongoing feud with Pope Leo XIV, a vocal critic of the US and Israeli war on Iran. The image was originally shared by an account named "Irish for Trump" (@Dkelly4congress) on X, with a caption suggesting that God might be using Trump as a tool against "satanic, demonic, child sacrificing monsters." Trump reposted a screenshot of this on Truth Social, as reported by The Mirror.
Backlash Over Previous Deleted Post
The new image comes shortly after Trump posted and later deleted an AI-generated depiction of himself as a Jesus-like figure healing a sick man in a hospital bed. That post, published on Sunday night and removed on Monday morning, drew significant backlash across the US political spectrum, with many, including some supporters, calling it 'blasphemous.' Trump later explained to CBS News that he removed the image because "people were confused" and he "didn't want to have anybody be confused."
Trump's Criticism of the Pope
Less than an hour before sharing the new image, Trump launched a lengthy tirade against Pope Leo XIV on Truth Social. He described the pontiff as "WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy," and criticized his stance on Iran's nuclear capabilities and US actions in Venezuela. Trump even suggested that the Pope was elected "because he was American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J Trump," adding, "If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican."
International Reactions and Support for the Pope
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned what he described as the "desecration of Jesus" and voiced support for the Pope. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a Catholic, right-wing coalition leader, and close ally of Trump, called Trump's remarks about the Pope "unacceptable." She stated, "The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church, and it is right and normal for him to call for peace and to condemn every form of war." Pope Leo XIV responded by saying he has "no fear of the Trump administration" and is committed to "speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel."
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Trump and religious figures, with the new AI image likely to fuel further debate among the over 70 million Catholics in the US, who make up about 20 percent of the population.
